CHAPTER 41 THE INCONVENIENCE OF TEACHING GOD
In the world of physics, just like everywhere else, there are people who believe in God and people who don’t. Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most eminent scientists, did not believe in God or see the need for God. Before he died in 2018, he said “the concept of heaven is “a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”
In answer to that a man named David Christofferson, just a regular guy in a church, said, and I quote, “the concept of atheism is “a fairy story for people afraid of the light.” Can you guess who got in the most trouble for their personal statements. If you guessed the guy who spoke out against Atheism you would be correct. Certainly not Hawking for speaking against God.
God is a rough ride. Long story short, if you don’t believe in God then you don’t believe in the Bible nor do you believe in the devil. If you don’t believe in the devil, and you don’t have the Bible, the living Word of God, to explain to you how to live, you will die without the protection of God and discover all too late that there is a devil and he has a name and you now belong to that thing.
I don’t know why some people believe and some people don’t. I’m relieved and blessed everyday that for me, God is God. There is a lot of religions, belief systems, Christians, atheists, believers, non-believers. It’s all pretty confusing. For me, I had to break it down. Just me and God. A relationship with me, just me, Just God. And for me, He is a Just God. For me, without Him, I would be dead. There is no logical reason for me to have survived my youth, or my life. Without Him, the life I have could not have been invented by me or anybody else. So, when I share my testimony, that’s all I have, my story, a story of me and a Just God — a merciful God, who gave me a book that I read daily. A book that helps me understand what God is doing, what He has done, and what He will do. And as a really important point, for me, there is a devil, he has a name and he hates me and you. Without God, I will die and be committed to an eternity in hell, my children will believe in a father that did not offer a good example, and the God that inspired America will cry for me and them as another lost soul literally bites the dust.
In order for me to share my testimony, or my experience with God it is vitally important that I realize what all these things are based on. Why do really smart people not believe in God and why do really smart people believe in God? What exactly caused me to succeed, be safe, understand situations that used to baffle me? How did I come to understand my daily contributions to the mission of God, partnering with Him, giving Him the Glory? How did all this come to pass? In order to share Chapter 41, The Inconvenience of teaching God, I had to learn about the rules, the why, the how, and the direction of God in the first place. The Lord has done so much for me. How do I pay Him back? How do I start when I’m overwhelmed at what has been done for me, even before I understood, when I was probably His enemy, as referenced by my ill gotten actions, immature, self serving, godless life before Jesus took over — Back then, when suddenly Jesus caught me, inescapably, in a web of love and forgiveness, He came and took my hand, taught me to pray, gave me another chance, and another, and another — why? It took years to admit the answer. I went to church, I got involved, I tried to live a life that was sort of on the way to good choices. I found myself between the old me and a me that was new, someone I hadn’t known, but was familiar with. God was pulling me — prodding me, pushing me, loving me, holding me, teaching me, understanding and disciplining me without breaking me. I could feel it, I didn’t understand it, but there was love, where before there was only chaos, day to day recovery from a life that was built without God — by me, only me, I didn’t understand until I did. And when I did, the only way to achieve, to over achieve, to begin and conquer what surely would’ve destroyed me, was and is with God. I feel sad for those who have discovered and proven that there is no God. In doing so they will have proven to themselves that there is a hell and for that, I am sad for anyone who has chosen such an end. “Life is for the taking,” is not the game. “Life is for the giving.”
Proverbs 11:25
New Living Translation 25
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
There was no particular day where I became perfect. There is however many days where I became clear as to how imperfect I am, how much anguish I’ve caused, and as Hawking so profoundly and unknowingly stated, God, has shown me, I am afraid of the dark and I desperately want the light.
Matthew 22:36-40“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (37) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Mark 12:28-31Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” (29) Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. (30) And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment. (31) And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Luke 10:25-28 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (26) He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (27) So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'” (28) And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
New King James Version
Three times, the same message. Must be pretty important. With those three scriptures in mind, I’ll be better capable of handling what comes against me when I share my testimony. Mentioning Christ as the reason for my life can be inconvenient in certain circles and dangerous as well. However, the Lord does say to move forward with the truth and He will be there with you.
Matthew 28:16-20
New International Version
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
I’m certainly not telling any of us to become a teacher of the Word unless of course you are called to do so, in that case you certainly wouldn’t need me to tell you to teach, you’d already be doing it. In chapter 41 I am telling me to share my testimony and what God has done in my life, my path, what He is working on in me, what He has done so far, the challenges that I’ve encountered and the Mercy given to me in these challenges to overcome myself and the mess I’ve made of my life before Christ and after. That I can share with you, or anybody. My story is anybody’s story. God working against me and with me to make me better. All I need to do is tell people.
Psalm 22:22 “I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.”
Psalm 66:16 “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.”
NOTE: YOUR HEAD WILL TELL YOU THAT NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT JESUS.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
…[pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:19)
At the end of the day, it’s a good idea to assess my actions during the day and be real about it. Did God direct me, or did I direct me? Was I swayed by something someone said, perhaps in a way that is not good for me, or God’s will. Learning to trust God, the Holy Spirit in me — it’s a challenge.
1 John 2:27 ESV
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
The bible talks about prayer and supplication. What does supplication mean? Dictionary definition: The action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.’
The longings for safety and prosperity have been coming across the prayer basket of God for a long time, and He has been faithfully answering those prayers since the beginning. Listen to the prayer of Jabez some three thousand years ago…
1 Chronicles 4:10
New International Version
10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
That alone gives me hope. I think it is actually more inconvenient not to tell people about God when I know I should.
“The greatest deception which men incur proceeds from their opinions.” Leonardo da Vinci
God’s word is truth, fact, historical evidence all wrapped up into one big “help me” stay out of trouble program. As you learn to do this in the world, guess what, you do it with your children even when they don’t listen, they are listening. Prayer in these matters can change the hearts of prodigal children and those people that suffer without Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. Write them down, and tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Is it inconvenient? You know as well as I do, it is hard to be the believer sometimes.
Mark 6:4
New International Version
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”
Matthew 10:19-20
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Remember back in the day? I do. The never ending challenge of keeping up with hip, slick and cool, politically incorrect or correct, whichever is popular in the eyes of the “in crowd.”
2 Thessalonians 2:7
New International Version
7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
What does that mean. It means when the Holy Spirit leaves the world, the church leaves the world and you leave the world — after that all Hell breaks loose. He’s coming for you to get you out of the way of the world when things really go bad. Now, that my friends is a whole other teaching, prophecy, end times, the rapture, tribulation, armageddon, way lots of things, but not today. Today, we live for Christ, in the end times, you’ll be required to die for Christ so says the Word. Soooo, it might be inconvenient to teach God right now, however definitely sounds a lot easier than the battle of armageddon. We hear so much about the rapture, why worry about it? Because it comes in an instant. The Lord, Jesus —
Matthew 24:40-41
New International Version
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Either you are in the club or you are not.
Luke 11:23
New International Version
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
I want to be happy and fulfilled, my business to be in order, that alone brings hope to others and reminds me of the power of God. Look, I had to put the time in before he could use me or I could use me, and after all that, I’m still a work in progress and without His grace, I amount to nothing, but with His grace, lots of things become amazing, sometimes even me. All because of His mercy. Do I deserve any of it? C’mon, no, I don’t. Mercy. Mercy of a loving God.
Age Before Beauty
I had to put the time in before there could be any beautiful in me. I call it age before beauty. I have to age a little, put in the time so to speak before anything I am becomes beautiful. Sometimes putting in the time is humbling. So be it. “Break me, Lord and make me new.”
When people see that you are consistently honest, your bottom-line changes, period. Things get better. Even non-believers would rather work with you. They trust you more than others.
Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Giving away responsibility because it is too hard or at an inconvenient time.
James 4:17 New International Version (NIV)
17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Dwight Lyman Moody, also known as D. L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher connected with the Holiness Movement. He founded the Moody Church, Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers. He is quoted as saying:“If God is your partner, make your plans BIG!”
C. S. Lewis said: “Relying on God has to start all over every day, as if nothing has yet been done.”
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary – they will walk and not be faint.”
Chapter 41, the Inconvenience of Teaching God. You can change the world, your bottom line and yourself by sharing your testimony. The Truth is a powerful tool. God is a just and powerful God. I told you at the beginning of this Chapter, that it took me years to comprehend and accept why God saved me. Do you want to know the answer? I did. I couldn’t embrace it at the beginning of this journey, the truth, why would He come for me? Because I, Patrick, belong to Him, He loves me and I matter, to Him. He feels the same about you. Amen.
